Amgen CEO speaks of firm's grand entry into Japan

What does the Amgen Astellas alliance mean to Japan's pharmaceutical market?

This alliance will help accelerate development and commercialization of Amgen medicines for patients in Japan. The therapeutic areas - cardiovascular and bone diseases and cancer - of the alliance products are well aligned with unmet medical needs in Japan and these products have the potential to deliver transformational impact in helping patients. We anticipate the first commercial launch will be as early as three years from now (2016).

What level of competition is Amgen expecting to face in Japan?

We anticipate the competition and market in Japan will be similar to other markets. We are focused on bringing to market important medicines that help address unmet medical needs in Japan.

What are the other big plans that Amgen has for Japan's pharma market?

Japan is an important market, and this alliance reflects Amgen's long-term commitment to Japan. The Japanese public has unique therapeutic needs with life expectancies and a senior population segment that rank among the world's highest. Additionally, Japan has historically rewarded a high-level of R&D innovation. This alliance will be key to our ability to address unmet medical needs in Japan by combining the best of Amgen's global expertise with Astellas' understanding of the market.